WAR: Iraq Troops Find Hostage Slaughterhouses, page 1

Iraqi troops have found what they believe to be the house where kidnaped victims were beheaded. The house located in Northern Fallujah, was noted to be full of documents, black clothing used in the videotapes, CD�s, and records that bore the hostages names. The general making the announcement did not indicate if remains had been found, nor if the site was linked to infamous terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Zarqawi, was rumored to be in the city prior to the assault. Of the 170 people kidnaped, over 30 have been executed.

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NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - Iraqi troops have found "hostage slaughterhouses" in Fallujah where foreign captives were held and killed, the commander of Iraqi forces in the city said Wednesday.

Troops found CDs and documents of people taken captive in houses in the northern part of Fallujah, Maj. Gen. Abdul Qader Mohammed Jassem Mohan told reporters.

The most notorious abductions in Iraq have been by the al-Qaida-linked group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was believed to be in Fallujah but who commanders now say likely fled the city before the huge offensive launched this week by U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Mohan did not say that remains of captives were found and did not comment on whether the houses were believed linked to al-Zarqawi or any of several other militant groups that have claimed kidnappings.

"We have found hostage slaughterhouses in Fallujah that were used by these people and the black clothing that they used to wear to identify themselves, hundreds of CDs and whole records with names of hostages," the general said at a military camp near Fallujah.

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The actions of the militants seem bent on derailing not only the upcoming vote, but the reconstruction of Iraq itself. A lot of the people targeted for kidnaping have been foreign contractors. In the case of Hassan, she is an aid worker with no political affiliation. The battle for Fallujah will no doubt rage for several days, but one has to wonder if the battle for the hearts and minds is already lost.

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